Shirts: Getting the details right

Before you walk out of the house, check yourself to see whether you’re getting the following shirt details right. It could mean the difference between looking spectacular and sloppy.

Shirts and cuff length

Some men wear shirts that are too short in the arms or suit jackets with sleeves that are too long. As a result, the shirt cuffs are hidden by the jacket sleeves, which can give the impression that their arms are short or their jacket is too large.

Make sure approximately 1cm of your shirt cuff is showing (or some men prefer even a little more). This will give the effect of making your arms appear longer and the colour break between your suit sleeve and hand is a much more elegant look.

A well cut shirt collar

The tips of a well-cut collar will touch the breast of the shirt and will not lift up when you move your head. The shirt collar tips are put into position by the necktie knot although the collar must be of a certain size for this to happen. On well-made shirts, the collar is always cut large enough to fit well. Philippe Perzi Vienna shirts are certainly cut with collars that are large enough to fit well, regardless of whether you wear a tie or not.

Shirt and jacket harmony

If the outer edge of the shirt collar is not covered by the suit lapel, then the shirt collar is not cut perfectly. The harmonious relationship between the shirt collar, the tie and the suit jacket is spoiled if the material of the shirt breast shows between the collar and the lapel. As shown in the photo above, the outer edge of Philippe’s collar and the tips should be just covered by the lapel of the jacket. If you are wearing a cutaway collar shirt, then you will find that the edges of your collar will almost always be covered by the jacket lapel – even if you’re wearing a suit off the rack. Fortunately all Philippe Perzi Vienna shirts have cutaway collars.

A tell tale sign of a shirt collar not being the right width is if the suit jacket collar covers the back of the neck. Provided your suit is well cut, the shirt collar should always show at the back of the neck. You should always have a perfectly fitting shirt collar before buying a jacket or being measured for a suit. Makers of the finest shirts, including the Italians and Jermyn Street tailors know how important the width of the shirt collar is and that this feature, of all things, shouldn’t be subjected to changes in fashion. Of particular importance is to make sure your tie can’t be seen at the back of the shirt collar, which can happen if the collar is too narrow.

Tie knot know-how

The knot of your tie should sit exactly in the triangle between the two sides of the collar and stay there, even if you undo the top button. If the tie slips down and doesn’t stay in the upper part of the triangle, exposing the top button or the fabric where the top button sits, then the shirt collar may not be well cut. As you can see from the photo of Philippe above, his four-in-hand tie knot sits high and mighty, creating harmony between the tie, the shirt and the jacket. Of course, it helps to know how to tie a great knot; check out a few guides if you need some help.